Draft-gear.



l. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLlcATloN FILED 1AN,22,19H.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1. F. COURSON.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATloN FlLED 1AN.22.1917.

1,23%?5@ Patented Aug. 21,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented aug. ai, iai v..

Application led January 22, 1917. Serial No. 143,550.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it knownthat l, JOHN F. CoURsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pitcairn, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Gears, of which the following is a specication.

My invention is an improvement in draft gears of the class utilizing springs and bearing shoes and expanding mechanism for the bearing shoes acting on bufing or pulling to effect frictional and spring resistance to such strains through the mechanism inclosed within an embracing casing.

rlhe particular objects in view are to provide, in a gear of this type, means for distending the bearing Ishoes toward the oasing and compressing the resistance springs therein vwith variable pressure proportional to thestrain, utilizing a central plunger ,to distend the bearing shoes and edect compression of the springs, and with accompanying frictional resistance, whereby to effect expansion or `retraction of the shoes coincidental with pressure and release movements. The invention also involves the use of a supplemental spring element for ef.- fecting retraction of the parts to normal position.

rlhe several objects are accomplished in certain preferred forms of the apparatus as more fully hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal secs tional view through acomplete gear as assembled, the parts being shown in normal position and indicated by the section line 1, l, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view partly in elevation indicated by the section line 11, 11, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section indicated by the line 111, of Fig. 1. 45

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the resistance springs.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing a modified construction of resistance spriu Fig.' 6 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Fig. 2, lshowing the parts in position under builing strain.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view partly broken away, of the' gear casing.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the central expanding wedge bar.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of one of the pressure shoes.

In the drawings, 2 represents the drawbar of a coupling connected with the front end portion of side-'bars3, 3,- of the central wedge bar by a transverse bolt or key 4, which extends through slots 5 thereof. Side bars 3 constitute embracing lcheeks for the rear end of thedraw-bar 2 which abuts dire'etly against a middle transverse end portion 6 of the main central wedge bar.

TheV gear in its entirety is mounted between the usual .center sills 7 7, of the car framing, which is provided with forward abutments 8, 8, and rear abutments 9, 9, riveted or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the center sills, as shown.

These abutments, extending inwardly, provide for abutting engagement against them of the front and back end portions of the casing 10 and the projecting lugs 11 thereof (see Figs. 2, 6 and 7).

The casing 10 is preferably made of twoA portions centrally divided as indicated in Fig. 7 connected by bolts through lugs 12 for easy assemblage and separatlon, and

mounting within the car framing. A lower 1 supporting platel13 extends across underneath the center sills from one side to the other, upon which casing 10 is carried.

Atthe rear portion of the casing each of its side portions above andv below the central parting line is provided with a. rearwardly extending housing cage 14 provided with terminal Hanges 15rfor reception of the releasing spring 16, which bears by by its other end against the mainend por-l tion of the casing 10.

Housingportions 14 are located at each the pressure shoes 21, 21, laterally as shown in Fig. 6, and such operation will occur 1n either bufling or pulling.

The. outer faces of the pressure shoes 21 V arel preferably flat as shown, but may be of any other suitable ordesired shape or deslgn. Between the outer faces of the pressure shoes 21 and the inner faces of the side walls of the casing, I insert a spring or'springs 22 for interposing resistance upon the springs being compressed by lateralmovement of the shoes outwardly.

As showns`3rings 22 are of sinuous orof alternating wave-like formation, whereby to bring alternate portions of the spring `into engagement with the opposing faces,

although any other suit-able form of spring 'may be utilized, if desired.

Central pressure bar 18 embraces spring 16 within housing 14 by means of a clearvance opening 23 at the rear end of the bar p so thereof, connected at the end by a cross bar between upper and lower extensions 24, 24,

` j 25. Such cross bar, in connection with the `also as opposite bearing face 26, engages Vspring 16 at oneend or the other, compressing 1t upon movement of the bar against ange `15 orthe end of the casing, so that the spring will immediately react on cessation of the strain in either direction, renewing the original normal position of the parts.

' The back and front end walls of casing 10 are provided with clearance openings 27, 28, for passage of the shank portions of the central bar 18 at each end, and the sides of these openings are spaced apart sufficiently to provide for the necessary longitudinal movement of the bar. .They are so designed to engage the advancing wedge faces at the desired limit of movement to arrest'the bar, as indicated atithe vrear end of Fig. 6.

In Fig. 5, I show a modified construction in which a plurality of leaves 22a are used whereby to strengthen or reinforce the spring and increase its resistance. The construction and operation are otherwise the same as in the main form.

The construction and operation of the gear will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description by all those familiar-with this class of mechanism.

The springs 22 in their normal position are inserted under any desired degree of compression, whereby to press the shoes 21 inwardly'against the wedge faces of the central wedge Ibar, so that v any movement bar to normal position.

`ciated by all those familiar with this class of mechanism, and it provides a simple, economical and eliicient means for absorbing the usual shocks of train service.

What I claim is l 1. A draft gear consisting of a casing, a central pressure bar, shoes flanking the pressure bar and laterally movable thereby, resistance springs between the shoes and casing, and a releasing spring for returning the pressure bar to normal osition.

2. A draft gear consisting of a casing, a central pressure bar provided with series of oppositelyarranged wedge faces, a shoe at each side of the pressure bar having co-acting wedge faces, resistance springs between the shoes and casing, and a releasing spring engaging the pressure bar and casing.

3. A draft gear consisting of a casing, a central pressure bar provided with series of oppositely arranged wedge faces, a shoe at each side of the pressure bar having co-acting wedge faces, an alternating curved leaf spring between each shoe and the casing, and a releasing spring engaging the pressure bar and casing.

' 4. In a draft gear, in combination with car framing, a casing mounted in the car framing, a central pressure bar movable longitudinally within the casing having at one end means for connecting it to a drawbar and provided within the casing with oppositely arranged wedge faces, pressure shoes having co-acting wedge faces engaging the pressure bar at each side, a spring between each shoe and the casing, and a releasing spring for returning the pressure 5. In a draft gear, in combination with car framing, a casing mounted in the car framing, a central pressure bar movable longitudinally within the casing having at one end means for connecting it to a drawbar and provided within the casing with oppositely arranged wedge faces, pressure shoes having co-acting wedge faces engaging the pressure bar at each side, a spring between each shoe and the casing, and 11,125 supplemental releasing spring between a portion of the casing and a portion of the central pressure bar.

6. In a draft gear, in combination with car framing, a two-part casing mounted in the'car framing having a terminal spring housing, a central pressure bar movable longitudinally within the casing having at one end means for connecting it to a drawbar and provided with oppositely arranged v ing spring within the terminal housing engaging the terminal of the bar.

7. In combination with the center sills provided with abutments, a separable casing engaging said abutments having aterminal divided spring housing, a central pressure bar movable longitudinall)- within the casing having at its rear end a releasing spring terminal within the spring housing and wedge faces along its middle opposite sides, a drawbar connected with the front end 0f the .pressure bar, pressure shoes having wedge faces engaging the wedge faces of the pressure bar, and a spring between each shoe and the casing.

8. In combination with the center sills provided with abutments, a separable casing engaging said abutments having a terminal divided spring housing, a central pressure bar movable longitudinally within the casing having at its rear end a releasing spring terminal within the spring housing and wedge faces along its middle opposite sides, a drawbar connected with the front end of the pressure bar, pressure shoes having wedge faces engaging the wedge faces of the pressure bar, and an alternating elliptic leaf spring interposed between each shoe and the Casin y 9. `In comblnation with the casing provided with a releasing spring and separable wedge faced pressure shoes and springs adapted to be expanded toward opposite sides of the casing; a central wedge bar engaging the pressure shoes and said releasing spring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

JOI-IN F. COURSON. 

